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7 top Dartmouth restaurants for all occasions

By Ross Purdy on May 5, 2017

Famous for delicious local plaice and located close to the productive fishing waters of Start Bay and the English Channel, it’s not surprising that Dartmouth is a great place to enjoy freshly-sourced seafood.

Yet, while there’s no shortage of seafood options for all occasions and budgets, Dartmouth’s restaurants aren’t limited to the fruits of the sea.

In no particular order, let’s look at our top seven restaurants in Dartmouth, as chosen by our local team.

Scroll to the bottom to vote for your favourite Dartmouth restaurant!

1. The Seahorse

The multi-award-winning Seahorse, run by celebrity chef Mitch Tonks with his business partner Matt Prowse, must be the most famous of all restaurants in Dartmouth. The sensational seasonal fish menu changes daily, but usually includes sea bass, monkfish, John Dory and Talbot. Many of the dishes are cooked over the charcoal fire in the restaurant, making for simple but beautifully prepared meals.

This year, the Seahorse saw the addition of a new wine bar annex, where you can head after your meal to continue the evening. The super-sophisticated Joe’s Bar is featured in our blog post, ‘3 stylish Dartmouth wine bars’.

Mitch, who wrote the foreword to our freely downloadable South Devon Cookbook, lives over the water in Brixham. As a founding patron of the Dartmouth Food Festival, he has long been a champion of our regional food and drink culture. As he put it in his foreword to our publication:

South Devon is one of the most beautiful areas in the country. Every time I go away on holiday I love it, but I can’t wait to get back.

You may have seen Mitch on TV shows such as Channel 4’s Sunday Brunch or his television series, ‘Mitch and Matt’s Big Fish’ on UKTV Food, amongst other shows.

2. Kendrick’s

Fairfax Place

Kendrick’s is a casual restaurant with a tasty ‘Tex-Mex’ themed menu and a friendly, lively atmosphere. Even in this holiday destination’s quieter months, Kendrick’s is often very much alive with groups of work colleagues, officer cadets, families and couples all making the most of the restaurant’s reasonable prices and flavoursome fare.

Hearty classics like steaks, burgers, ribs and grills form the meat of the menu, along with some chilli options and the ever-popular sizzling fajitas. Don’t forget to check out the specials board too, which changes regularly with the seasons.

3. The Wheelhouse

Fairfax Place

Many small towns have just one fish and chip shop, while in others there could be a handful but in most cases locals usually reach a consensus of which is the best. Dartmouth is unusual in that its two most frequented ‘chippies’ are similarly popular both with visitors and longtime residents. We recommend giving both a try on your break.

With a 4.8 Google Reviews score and a 4.5 TripAdvisor rating (with 514 reviews) there’s no doubting the quality on offer at the Wheelhouse, an old-fashioned fish and chip shop and restaurant.

The menu, whether that’s to take away or eat in, is surprisingly varied, with sandwiches, chicken dishes, burgers and salads all on the menu. But it’s for classic fish and chips that the Wheelhouse has built its excellent reputation.

4. Rockfish

South Embankment (Restaurant)

Lower Street (Takeaway)

Like the Seahorse restaurant, Rockfish is owned and managed by celebrity chef Mitch Tonks. Part of a small Devon chain of five fish restaurants, it’s a stylishly rustic eatery by the water – the perfect setting for a portion of fish and chips.

There are lots of other interesting food options too. So if you’ve already indulged in enough battered cod for a little while, you’ll be happy to know the menu contains such enticing dishes as roasted scallops, mussels in wine and garlic, tempura vegetables, halloumi burgers and plenty more.

Their motto, ‘Tomorrow’s fish are still in the sea’, sums up their approach to sourcing fresh produce from the local area.

5. The Spice Bazaar

Church Close

Owned by the Head Chef, Shahar Lashkor, in 2008 the Spice Bazaar was voted the best South Asian restaurant in the South West. This tucked away restaurant, which you’ll find opposite St Saviour’s Church in Church Close, is very easy to pass by without noticing. But once you’ve found it, like many residents and regular visitors, you’ll be sure to want to return many times over.

The large menu includes some delicious vegetarian options as well as all the meat and fish dishes you’d expect.

If you think you’ll be heading there regularly, why not join the Spice Bazaar Dining Club, and make the most of discounts up to 20% as well as other bonuses?

6. Taylor’s

The Quay

An elegantly-styled restaurant with stunning views across the Dart to Kingswear, Taylor’s has been run by Peter and Pauline for 18 years. Highly rated by foodies, both online and through word of mouth, this intimate first-floor restaurant has a select menu which is mainly focused on fish.

There are also some vegetable and meat dishes to choose from based on classic flavour combinations, and why not finish with a homemade dessert?

7. Anzac Street Bistro

Church Close

The cosmopolitan Anzac Street Bistro combines Mediterranean cuisine with a Polish twist alongside Devon-sourced ingredients to create a unique restaurant. The menu changes with the seasons, not simply to reflect the availability of fresh produce but also how our tastes reflect the time of year.

Owners Simon and Aga, along with Head Chef Rafal, are also happy to accommodate diners with specific dietary requirements. This makes them a popular choice for vegans and vegetarians, as well as those with allergies or intolerances.

There’s live music at the Anzac Street Bistro on most Saturdays and some Sundays, which tends to be mellow piano or acoustic sets with other performances arranged for the town’s annual festivals.

We hope you’ve enjoyed hearing about our favourite Dartmouth restaurants. Now let us know about yours by voting in our poll.